Q9550 at 20% cpu usage even in idle

After i formatted my HDD to vista extreme. and update my bios to 2001 (P5Q Deluxe), i noticed on my sidebar cpu usage, even in idle time i've got 20-30% cpu usage..is it because of the vista extreme os or there's something wrong with my cpu/cooler?

Have you checked out Task manager to see what is using utilizing your CPU? On a fresh install I'm not all too suprised as it's gotta get Superfetch going, it's monitorring your usage, though my quad generally stays around 0-3% idle on the cores after a few minutes of initialization after startup. Vista has a lot going on after initial startup. Any more descriptions of this issue you could provide by chance?

Have you used any other programs (core temp, real temp, everest) to monitor CPU loading to ensure the sidebar gadget isn't reading incorreclty?

Have you checked out Task manager to see what is using utilizing your CPU? On a fresh install I'm not all too suprised as it's gotta get Superfetch going, it's monitorring your usage, though my quad generally stays around 0-3% idle on the cores after a few minutes of initialization after startup. Vista has a lot going on after initial startup. Any more descriptions of this issue you could provide by chance?

Have you used any other programs (core temp, real temp, everest) to monitor CPU loading to ensure the sidebar gadget isn't reading incorreclty?

What you need to do with the Task Manger is click the CPU tab so it will show the services/processes utilizing the CPU at the top. I'm curious to see what's going on. If you have downloads, music, stuff going I could see that load happening, I don't know if it's something with Firefox or not...I use Opera which is pretty easy on cpu clocks, but I'm sure FF is too. I sit around 2-5% load on my cores with Opera w/~ 20 tabs, real temp, Everest 5.01, and EA Downloader (downloading a game). So there's definately something going on...next screen show prioritized by CPU usage in task manager.

What you need to do with the Task Manger is click the CPU tab so it will show the services/processes utilizing the CPU at the top. I'm curious to see what's going on. If you have downloads, music, stuff going I could see that load happening, I don't know if it's something with Firefox or not...I use Opera which is pretty easy on cpu clocks, but I'm sure FF is too. I sit around 2-5% load on my cores with Opera w/~ 20 tabs, real temp, Everest 5.01, and EA Downloader (downloading a game). So there's definately something going on...next screen show prioritized by CPU usage in task manager.

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last vista that i have, I don't usually get kind of cpu usage..i only got 2-3% in idle time..im just wondering, if maybe its because of new os vista extreme, or there's something wrong with my cpu or something..

I have Vista Ultimate, I haven't heard of Vista Extreme...is that some sort of tweaked or modded version?

Also, that last screenshot is not what I wanted to see...I meant under Processes in Task Manager, click the CPU TAB so that it will list processes in order of most CPU usage to least. That should show you what is using the CPU resources you're concerned about.

I don't think it's a CPU issue, if you were getting BSOD's and random crashes it might be, but when a CPU goes south, generally you don't get to windows in the first place at least from what I've heard...I haven't seen a CPU fail in my years of PC building fortunately.

I have Vista Ultimate, I haven't heard of Vista Extreme...is that some sort of tweaked or modded version?

Also, that last screenshot is not what I wanted to see...I meant under Processes in Task Manager, click the CPU TAB so that it will list processes in order of most CPU usage to least. That should show you what is using the CPU resources you're concerned about.

I don't think it's a CPU issue, if you were getting BSOD's and random crashes it might be, but when a CPU goes south, generally you don't get to windows in the first place at least from what I've heard...I haven't seen a CPU fail in my years of PC building fortunately.

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sorry...this one I post, hope that's the one you want to see. yep its some sort of tweaked or modded version. last time i installed vista is only ultimate and i don't even get this kind of cpu usage. thanks!

I would say go back to an unmodded/untweaked Vista, something is buggy about that "extreme" copy you're using. Too many people mess with OS's, it works for some, but generally many will have more issues with it than not.

Since you are using Vista I'll have to say that this is probably a "driver lack" problem.
My brother laptop suffered from fom the same problem (lack of SD card reader or something).
Go to Device Manager (it should be in Control Panel) and any devide that has a "warning" (little yellow sign) on its icon, right mouse click it and select Deactivate, or install the drivers for that device.

just an idea i tried windows 7 an i had the same problem after a while except it idled at 50% at the top on one of the tabs is there a show kernal option? coz on me it was the kernal that was stuck at 50% which i think is the actual os if it is that thismay help if not sorry for the wasted post